Ball retriever



United States Patent O 3,191,880 BALL RETRIEVER Joseph V. Visconti, Medford, Mass., assignor to Marshall M. Schribman, Newton, Mass. Filed Apr. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 272,993 2 Claims. (Cl. 242-54) The present invention relates to a ball retriever device and more particularly to a golf ball retriever which is highly compact, lightweight and extremely eicient in operation.

Many ball retrieving devices are known. For the most part these devices are restricted to professional and commercial uses because .of their large size, complexity and/ or expense. In one particular prior art ball retrieving device, a golf ball is tethered to a Windup reel. A sportsman may drive the ball thus unreeling vthe tethered line. The ball is retrieved by actuation of a windup device which must be rotated into a windup position. This particular device does not appear to have met widespread public acceptance probably because of its relatively complex mechanisms and relatively high cost. It has also been a problem to provide for minimized drag on the ball in ball retriever devices of thistype.

It is an importantobject of this invention to provide a portable, lightweight, relatively inexpensive ball retrieving device suitable for widespread usage by `amateur as well as professional Sportsmen.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device in accordance with the preceding object which minimizes drag on the ball when it is propelled and substantially simulates ordinary free flight of the ball.

It is still another object. of thisinvention to provide a device in accordance with the preceding objects, which comprises a minimized number of mechanical elements thus minimizing the possibility :of mechanical breakdown i and permitting ease of operation.

According to the invention the ball retriever comprises an electrical power source, an electric motor and a Winding and storage spinning reel operatively engaged with the motor. A golf ball has a line attached to itwith a portion of the line passing through a housing and wound about the reel. Preferably, the lines passes through the housing at a point which is axially alignedwith a central axis of the reel. Thus the line is wound or unwound with the line in substantial alignment with an axis of the reel. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, clips yare provided for releasably engagingthe golf ball closely adjacent the device and a handle is provided to facilitate ease of carrying the device from one location to another. Preferably the mechanical parts of the ball retriever device are standard components which are readily available on the market. Y

Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be better understood and appreciated from the following detailed description of one embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective viewV showing a preferred embodiment of an assembled golf ball retriever of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof with the cover removed;

FIG. 2a is a top view of a bobbin and spinning head of a reel shown in FIG. 2; and,

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken through line 3 3 of FIG. 2.

With reference now to the drawing, the golf ball retriever of this invention is shown at 10. A conventional golf ball 11 is iirmly attached to one end of a thin, nylon or other fishing type line 12 by a swivel clip 13. An

Patente intermediate portion of the line 12 passes through a clrcular opening 17 in a casing 20 of the device. rA second end of the line 12 is attached to a bobbin 14 of a couventional fishing rod reel 15.

Preferably .a Zebco 202 fishing rod spinning reel manufactured by Zebco Co., Tulsa, Oklahoma, is employed as shown in FIG. 2.v However, it should be understood that other. couventional.dragfree storage and winding reels may be used. The Vline 12 passes through a central aperture 21 of the reel casing 18 and is wound about the bobbin 14. Preferably openings 17, 21 4and the axis X of bobbin 14 are in axial alignment. Preferably these openings define a line substantially perpendicular to the windings of theline 12 on the bobbin 14. Winding of the line 12 is accomplished by rotation of a spinner head 19. Axle or windup arm 23 is rotated to wind the line 12 ron the bobbin 14. This rotation is normally accomplished by a hand crank when the shing reel is used for iishing purposes, however, in this Vdevice mechanical vmeans are provided as will be described. Clockwise rotation of the axle 23, in addition to winding the line 12, locks the reel so that the line 12 cannot be unwound from the bobbin 14. This locking is accomplished in a Y known manner by conventional means within the reel not shown. A brake button 22 extends outwardly of the rear end of the reel 15. The brake button 22 may be depressed by pressure exerted on face 22a of the button thereby releasing the locking Aaction of the reel and allowing the line 12 to be unwound from the bobbin. A conventional clutch (not shown) is provided in the reel 15 and has a disc clutch button 24 allowing the reel to be set for desired degrees of tension ion the line 12 when it is unwound. Preferably the clutch button 24 completely disengages the clutch, allowing the line to be unwound from the bobbin as freely as possible with a minimized amount of drag.

A small electric motor 27 is mounted in a stationary position on a rectangular base 3i) of the casing 20. M0unting brackets 31 and 32 are attached to the motor and to each other by screws 33 and 34, respectively.

In the preferred embodiment, the electric motor is a Pitman Boat-Master Motors, Inc. motor, having a rating of 3-6 volts D.C. and 2.4 amps., maximum. A shaft 26 of the motor is preferably normal to a vertical plane passing through the axis of the bobbin 14. Themotor 27 is linked to the axle 23 of the fishing reel 15V by means of two gears 24 and 25. Gear 25 is preferably a small gear mounted directly on shaft 26 and acts as a drive gear to drive the large gear 24 which is firmly attached to the axle 23. In the preferred embodiment, gear 25 has a radius of approximately 1A, and gear 24 has a radius of approximately 3%1". These gears allow maximized power for .winding of the line 12 and retrieving of the ball although -using the relatively low power motor 27. It should be understood that varying gear arrangements may be employed as well as varying sized motors. However, ,the specic arrangement shown is particularly desirable due 'to its simplicity, use of conventional parts, as well as, its low power supply requirements.

Poles of the motor 27 are electrically connected to a battery 35 by insulated Wireh'attached to motor conf. tact 29 at one end and contact 37 of the batteryat a second end. In addition, wire 38 interconnects contact 28 of the motor with a contact of a switch 39 While wire 40 interconnects a second contact of the switch 39 with battery pole 41.

The battery 35 is preferably a standard D.C. six volt dry cell battery which is nested in the casing 20 by means of an upstanding wall 42, FIG. 3, and overhanging triv angular portion 43. A forward stop comprising a right angle member 44, FIG. 2, is attached to Wall 42.

Micro-Switch Division of Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Co. A forward wall 45 extending at a right angle to wall 42 provides a mounting for the switch 39 with a resilient spring blade arm 46 of the switch, FIG. 3,

standing slightly above the switch body and adapted to make Contact between battery pole 41 and motor contact 28 when the arm 46 is depressed as by pressure applied to a switch button 61 in a downward direction as shown in FIG. 3.

The casing 20 for the device is best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 and comprises a five sided cover'47 which ts over the at rectangular base 30 and is attached to sides of the base 30 by screws 48'. The cover 47 carries two operating units for actuating release or winding of the bobbin 14. Each of these units is positioned on the cover 47 and aligned in preselected positions with respect to the switch 39 and brake button 22 when the cover is assembled on the base 30.

Unit 48 is a spring loaded push button located directly above button 61 of the switch 39. The push button 48 comprises a head 49 mounted on a shaft 50 which extends into the casing. A conventional spring return (not shown) is mounted within a ferrule 51 which is soldered or otherwise joined to the cover 47. The head 49 may be depressed by the foot or golf club to actuate the motor 27. Upon release of pressure spring loaded push button 49 is returned to its position as shown in FIG. 3.

The second actuating unit is shown at 52 in FIG. 3. Unit 52 has a curved metal strip 53 pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 54 which is in turn mounted in suitable brackets 5S, depending from the cover 47 A spring 58 has an end 58a tensioned upwardly as viewed in FIG. 3 by means of a coil end 58b mounted on and surrounding the pivot pin 54. A stud 56 extends on either side of the bar 53 and is stationarily mounted in a hole in the bar 53 by lock nuts 59 positioned on either side of the bar, The lower end of stud 56 (not shown) is adapted to contact the face 22a of the brake button 22 when the lever arm 53 is depressed by the shoe of the player, or by a golf club.

Preferably spring clips 16 are provided and are resiliently yieldable to hold the golf ball partially within the casing 20 by urging the ball against a recess 16a adjacent the circular opening 17 with a spring like action. The spring clips 16 are preferably spring blade members which are welded or bolted to the casing. This feature enables convenient carrying of the ball retriever as a single unit. A carrying handle 60 is provided and is preferably soldered or bolted to the cover 47 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Preferably the entire device is relatively compact and in the preferred embodiment the outer dimensions of the casing comprise rectangular shape having dimensions of 7" by 6" by 4". Preferably the overall weight of the device is less than ten pounds.

The operation of the device is extremely simple. The unit 10 is placed with the base 22 resting on the ground. Lever 53 is then depressed releasing the brake button 22 and allowing the user to grip the ball and remove it from the spring clips 16. The ball may then be placed a convenient distance from the housing and driven. bobbin 14 does not add any appreciable drag to the line 12 since the brake button is depressed. Preferably the ball is driven in a direction substantially axially of the Thev f ff fr v 3,191,880

i `3 4 Th'swgga .59 may be of any conventional microswitch bobbin 14 to further decrease possible drag caused by p such ,"5 r microswitch catolog No. ISXl-T manufactured bending of the line about the casing orifice. To retrieve the ball, unit 48 is activated by depressing the head 49.

This in turn actuates switch 39 connecting the battery to the motor, and the motor shaft 26 is rotated whereby axle 23 is actuated through the gears 25 and 24 to rewind the line 12 and bring the ball back to its starting position. While there have been described specific embodiments of the invention it should be understood that other modifications are possible. For example, the specific spinning reel used may vary as may the specic electrical and power supply. In alternative embodiments of the invention the bobbin 14 may rotate about axis 14 or be fixed about this axis allowing the line to be played off from the bobbin without necessity of rotating the bobbin. Certain conventional actuating buttons may be used in place of elements 48 and 52 if desired. Plastic or wood may be used for the casing instead of the metallic casing elements shown. However, the specific arrangement of parts is particularly desirable ,and does decrease the complexity of this device. Therefore this invention is to be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

. 1. A portable, compact, self contained golf ball retrieving apparatus comprising: Y

an enclosing housing containing a golf ball located outside of said housing,

a line affixed to said ball at a rst end of said line with an intermediate portion of said line passing into said housing, at an opening defined by said housing and wound upon a winding and storage bobbin,

-said bobbin being mounted about a central axis in said housing,

said bobbin central axis being ixed in position with respect to said housing and aligned with said housing opening,

a windup arm associated with said bobbin,

an electric motor linked to said windup arm by a power increasing meshed set of gears,

an electric power source contained within said housing for activating said motor, Y

means passing through said housing and operable from the outside thereof by the foot of a user for allowing substantially drag-free unwinding of said line from said bobbin,

second means passing through said housing and operable from the outside thereof by said foot of said user for electrically connecting said motor to said power Y source whereby said line may be automatically wound on said bobbin.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said housing is provided with a recess adapted to contain a portion of said golf ball when said line is wound on said bobbin, resilient means mounted on said housing for urging said ball into said recess and a carrying handle mounted on said housing whereby said apparatus may be easily carried by hand.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,714,009 7/55 Noland 242-54X 3,105,651 10/63 Hull 242-842 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A PORTABLE, COMPACT, SELF CONTAINED GOLF BALL RETRIEVING APPARATUS COMPRISING: AN ENCLOSING HOUSING CONTAINING A GOLF BALL LOCATED OUTSIDE OF SAID HOUSING, A LINE AFFIXED TO SAID BALL AT A FIRST END OF SAID LINE WITH AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF SAID LINE PASSING INTO SAID HOUSING, AT AN OPENING DEFINED BY SAID HOUSING AND WOUND UPON A WINDING AND STORAGE BOBBIN, SAID BOBBIN BEING MOUNTED ABOUT A CENTRAL AXIS IN SAID HOUSING, SAID BOBBIN CENTRAL AXIS BEING FIXED IN POSITION WITH RESPECT TO SAID HOUSING AND ALIGNED WITH SAID HOUSING OPENING, A WINDUP ARM ASSOCIATED WITH SAID BOBBIN, AN ELECTRIC MOTOR LINKED TO SAID WINDUP ARM BY A POWER INCREASING MESHED SET OF GEARS, AN ELECTRIC POWER SOURCE CONTAINED WITHIN SAID HOUSING FOR ACTIVATING SAID MOTOR, MEANS PASING THROUGH SAID HOUSING AND OPERABLE FROM THE OUTSIDE THEREOF BY THE FOOT OF A USER FOR ALLOWING SUBSTANTIALLY DRAG-FREE UNWINDING OF SAID LINE FROM SAID BOBBIN, SECOND MEANS PASSING THROUGH SAID HOUSING AND OPERABLE FROM THE OUTSIDE THEREOF BY SAID FOOT OF SAID USER FOR ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING SAID MOTOR TO SAID POWER SOURCE WHEREBY SAID LINE MAY BE AUTOMATICALLY WOUND ON SAID BOBBIN. 